EPA announces funding for five-year environmental education program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) will partner on a five-year program called “ee360” to train more than 4,400 environmental educators.
 
Through the EPA’s teacher training program, it will provide $10.8 million in funding for the program, which will include 12 other partners comprising federal and state governmental organizations, universities and nonprofit groups.
 
Training, provided to professionals in both formal and non-formal education settings, will enable more than 4,400 educators to offer better environmental education and give them opportunities to enhance their leadership in the field.

Program partners also hope to improve infrastructure for environmental education, strengthening factors like state certification programs, access to technology and resources, and research on the value of environmental education.
 
“Environmental educators help learners of all ages understand and value the ecosystems around them,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said. “The teacher training program gives educators access to the best classroom and out-of-classroom materials and professional development opportunities, focused on using the environment as a platform for learning science, technology, engineering and math skills to improve decision-making.”
 
The EPA has run its teacher training program, formerly known as the National Environmental Education Training Program (NEETP), since 1992.